Shaver-clipper



Sept. 23, 1952 J. w. HALTERMAN 2,611,177

SHAVER-CLIPPER Filed March 1, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 III ill? atented Sept. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE John W. Halterman, Los Angeles, Calif.

' 7 Application March 1, 1948, Serial No. 12,360 a The present invention relates to an improved shaver or hair clipper.

It is desirable that a shaver comprise a minimum number of parts, each of which may be made easily and readily assembled to form the composite structure. It is further desirable that the shaver requires little power to drive it whereby the electric motor coupled thereto may be of relatively small size to allow the composite shaver to be easily carried on a person and stored. Also, it is desirable that the relatively movable parts of the shaver move with a minimum amount of friction so as to develop aminimum amount of heat.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved shaver whereby the above mentioned desideratum may be achieved.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shaver in which the movable cutting element is a fiat bar movable between spaced guides with a minimum amount of friction.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shaver incorporating a flat movable cutting element which may be easily and accurately assembled in operative position without the use of skilled personnel.

Usually, the movable cutting element of an electric shaver is spring biased into engagement with the other stationary cooperating cutting or shearing element and of necessity there is a relatively large pressure per unit area between the movable and stationary element. The use of such spring is usually to assure cooperation between the two cutting or shearing elements. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a new means whereby the two cutting.

elements may be adjusted and fixed in relative position with one another to provide suitable cutting, without the use of a spring, in which case the frictional resistance between the two cutting elements is greatly minimized.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a freely floating cutting element in a shaver positioned in cutting engagement with a cooperating cutter without the presence of a spring biasing the two cutting elements into engagement.

It is understood in the specification and the claims appended thereto that the term freely floating is thus used to designate the condition of my improved cutting elements into engagement with one another.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved shaver having a freely floating" cutting element as specified.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shaver or clipper in which the movable cutter element may be driven at a relatively high speed by-virtue of the fact 4 Claims. (01. 30-43 that no leverage is exerted on the movable cut- 7 ter which would otherwise tend to cause ityto.

bind. v

Still another object of thepresent invention is to provide an improved shaver or hair clipper characterized by the fact that the cutting or shearing elements are mutually reversible in position so that efficient shaving or hair clipping is obtained depending upon the relative positions of such reversible cutter elements.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shaver or clipper in which the relatively stationary and relativelymovable cutter elements are maintained in operative relationship with respect to one another without the use of a spring biasing them togethen which would otherwise produce unnecessary'frictional forces, and without the danger of the presence of excessive tightening or clamping forces between the cutter members.

The features oithe present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. This invention itself, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying'drawings in which: 7 t

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a portion of an electric shaver embodying thepresent invention. V

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of thev same.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the back of the cutter head shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of. Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of the stationary portion of the shaver adapted to have mounted thereon the three elements shown in Figure 11 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line HH of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is'a sectional view corresponding to the sectional view shown in-Figure 10 but with the position of the cutter elements reversed.

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken substantially ontheline l3l3 of Figure. 12.

The shaver or hair clipper is of the electric 3 type and may be driven by any conventional type of prime mover ordinarily found in commercial electric dry shavers in which a rod such as a rod III in ,Figurej, is,,,reciprocated at .a relatively high speed; H owever; o ne importantfeature of 5 the present invention is that such prime mover may be of relatively small size because the movable cutting element or blade I I cooperating with the stationary cutting element or blade-Mp1s freely floating. l

The shaver head embodying importan-tdeatures of the present invention;compriseaesserr tially three elements; namely, the freelyflpating fiat cutting element of metal disposed between the relatively stationary-cutting element I2 and the-adjustablemetainingz member; I33. The sta tionary cutting element I Zamay. be apermanently: afiixed to the platform or base I4 with thEL1'&-. ciprocatable actuating: bar or member I Ihpassing through-the centrallyudisposed.oval shape: opensingseI 5 th'erein- I and with :thecutter I 2-. accurately positioned on the 2138.86 I 4 by-:the cooperation; of the spaced abutments .or upstandingslugs 1; I]; I 8. on the base 1 I d which aresnuglyzreceived within the rectangular notches I9 and- 2fl= respectively lin the-cutter- I2 and which projects upwardly. into the-slightlyenlarged-notches 21; 22 in the move ablecutter: I I to'guidethe same in its-movement by-- the reciprocatable member I 0 which is; disposed snugly in -=the centrally located aperture :23 in cutter II;

The movementof :the cutterd I is guidedessentially-bythe guide abutments I T; I wand is -prevented from moving, in apdirection perpendicularto its plane by the other cutter lzfandthe re v; taining member-I 2 & between which the cutter I I is sandwiched: While adjacent faces-of the flat: cutting elements I I l and- I2 "are in: contaci'lwith one another, the adjustable:retainingmember I 3 has a downwardly disposed lip of limited contact 40;

areaimmediately opposite tlie adjacent upper faceof the-cuttenI I to minimize frictional forces- In the assembly ofthe elements shownyin- Figure 6, the cutter I 2 may be releasablymountedonthe base: I-t-as indicated orit may be aifixed thereto ina: more -permanent manner; for ex ample, by means of countersunk head screwsscrewed into' the b'ase I 4;: Afterthe cutter- I 2 is mounted in-' position: withthe reciprocable .element I0 passing through itheclearance aperture- I 5 the movable cutting=element I I and retaining member I3 are in turn mounted in-p0sitiona important rfeatu-re of the present invention -is the-- structureaand features produced 1 by-:the: ad-'- justable: retaining element I 3. V This retaini-ng-= element I3 is substantially L-shaped for mount ing in the transversely extending sIit I4Aoflthe b'asemember by clamping screws or fastening:- means 25,- 26- passing through: correspondingnotches 21, 28 in the retaining member I 3 in such a manneras to maintain the flat bearingsurface 23 inspacedmelationship to -the movable cutter II or the cutter I2 in Figure-:12." Ifthis spacing-fie in theorder -oi a small fractionof -a .001 of an inch the shaverorclipper; as the-case mayhe; wouldstill be eflective; For-example, with-the fastening-screws 25,; 26:2released, the: re taining:member-:I 3 'ismovedadjacent :the cutting element II eitherwithgtheafinger 0r-under the; influencerof: gravity fOI'CGSl on such: retaining memberandaithesame time. the, fastening screws; 25, 26;are-;tig;1.1tned;.: In;,suc h cases;- theiresulti-j, ing spacing; between thez bearing, surface.:29= on the retaining flmberzandvthe adjacentflat face; of g the cutterl I evemthouglr:a;.sme11-. fraction 7 of a .001" would still be sufiicient for satisfactory operation. An important feature is that the particular means by which the retaining member I3 maintained on thewbase ayoidslor prevents, the existence ofgexcessive forcebetween the cuttersll", I2." The retaining'memb'er I3 is held by screws 25, 26 which exert a force on the retaining member in a direction substantially parallel to the planes of the cutters II, I2 so regardless of the degree in which the screws 25, 26--arefastened-; the force between the retaining member and-the cutting element II or I2, as the case may be, remains the same i. e. substantially zero-.- In order to prevent loosening of the set screws 25, 26 in operation of the shaver, preferablyg, these screwszare.maintainediindockedimsition by the locking meanszprpyidedsby;ther faoea I4B1of whiclxservesasazresilient cantilever member -through.:..which1the; SBt'ZSQIEWSAPGSSn, Thus the, resilient cantileverzportion-il 5B sls defiected-ae slight; amount toaapply;frictionalsforces zonzthe; threads lofgtheascreyvsnto .releasably dockuthemain' placerv PreferablynassshowninEigure:.l0, ,thelzbottom" relativelystationary .cuttingtelemen-t :I 2 zprojecw outwardlwa; slig-lrt 2 distance; greater than the. movable; cutting; element I I i and both. cuttingr elements; are; each) provided. witli'a a serratedchampfered edge so that whiskers -:or.-hair;dis.-'- posedin;the):serrationsrzorrsuchzedsescislsheared or;cutioiffimoperationnktheshaver;.

Figuresgflgfi and; 9;'shomin:actualtphysical size: a shaver: incorporatingqthecutting;elements.:described inzthe;preyioiistcfigurese Figurecloeslrowss, in;enlargedcformrztheposition of; thecuttenmemm bers I I :and I 2;:whenytheadevice:-is :intended'Iforuse as a shaver while Figure 12 shows the same: elements; reversed-onl-ymith respect :to .the other when; thedevice 'isv intended: for; use as awhair, clipper: In-;thex.elementsishowrr.in botit Jlgurem. 10:,and 12,-: th'ezcutteri I I :in' :eaclr,casetissmovedibyv the actuating; membem Illa-awhile. the:- other; 00* operating; cutter member I2;is;:maintained:relatively stationaryt-duexto:.engagementionthe-anemtured sport-ions 2 I 9 cand \ZOetherein with *the-abut men ts"I1',.I8;L

Theszcutterxelement-r. I Is mayvhavea aatmckness: on the brder. of: .012; The: cutter element I21 may haverarthiekness-iof 201522. The teeth in thee serrated edges of :members I I iand: I21'may=have a thickness on'.008;!: witlrrthetslitldistancerbetween teeth'of .00'1'. The-blade holder Ilii'tomritsdtirv wardedge=3 I Jto. its *backi'facefl mayzbe fii fl Am important: feature of the present inventlon is 1 that the =bladexholderz- I 3 cannot cause excessive forces to b'e:-exerted between -thecutter: elements II and I2 either in the:-elementislrownirr l ig ure :IOordn-the eIement shown/inFigure--12; This feature- =results from tlrc particular mannerv-ln-lwhichthe: bladediolder: I 3 15 :fastened bye-means:

of the screws 2 5', 26 the stationary based 4." The particular manner- 11i which-the bladerholderzi 3 1s: fastened thus assures the absence of excessive clamping forces-'and avoids abuses Wnile I h'ave describedabove-' a clearanceof a: small frac-- tion of er-.001" between-the retain-ing member 43:: and "the adjacent cutter memb'en it 13, 01; course possible that even with such smai-l ltolerancasubstantially no frictional f forces: aredeveloped v therebetween:

While the-particular: embodiments of themes- 4 ent invention. have 1 been. shown? and; described, it .will be. obvious-to those skilled in the-'artjthate; changes and modifications--mayzbesmade: withoutt departing from-this invention in its broaderxas-- pects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In an electric shaver, a flat elongated base, upstanding end lugs on the base, superimposed stationary and movable blades on the base, the stationary blade having end notches to fit the lugs laterally and whose inner ends are spaced apart substantially the same as the spacing between the adjacent ends of the lugs so as to prevent longitudinal and lateral displacement of said blade on the base and the movable blade having longitudinally elongated lug-receiving end notches whose width is substantially the same as that of the lugs but whose ends are closer to each other than the adjacent ends of the lugs whereby to allow of longitudinal movement of said movable blade while holding the same against transverse movement, and a retaining member removably mounted on the base behind the blades and including a lip overhanging the uppermost blade for substantially the full length thereof to prevent separation of the blades.

2. In an electric shaver, a flat elongated base, superimposed stationary and movable blades on the base, lugs upstanding from the base and projecting through notches in the stationary blade and cooperating with the walls of said notches to hold the stationary blade against movement on the base, said lugs also projecting through notches in the movable blade and cooperating with the walls of such notches to permit said movable blade to reciprocate longitudinally of the base; and a blade retaining member of L-shaped form in section and comprising a leg removably secured against the back of the base below the blades and upstanding past the back edges thereof in contact therewith and from end to end thereof, and another leg overhanging and substantially engaging the uppermost blade, the first named leg having horizontally spaced vertical slots, and headed screws bearing against said first named leg and projecting through the slots and threaded into the base at the back.

3. In an electric shaver comprising a flat base, a pair of fiat cooperating cutting blades separate from and invertible as a unit relative to the base, elements on the base projecting through notches in the blades, the walls of the notches of one blade cooperating with the elements to hold said blade stationary on the base and the walls of the notches in the other blade cooperating with the elements to permit of longitudinal reciprocating movement of said other blade, and a retainer mounted on the base including a rigid element overhanging the outermost blade to releasably hold the blades against separation from each other and from the base; the shaver including blade reciprocating means.

4. In an electric shaver having a base, a longitudinally oscillatable driving stem projecting from the base intermediate its ends, and a pair of cooperating blades separate from and mounted on the base for relative reciprocation and invertible as a unit relative to said base; one blade having an opening which fits over the stem in driving relation and the other blade having a longitudinal slot to receive the stem in clearance relation irrespective of the position of said stem; the latter projecting upwardly from the base a distance not less than the thickness of the two blades.

JOHN W. HALTERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,158,741 Stearns Nov. 2, 1915 1,476,005 Osher Dec. 4, 1923 1,596,294 Norstrom Aug. 17, 1926 1,909,858 Green May 16, 1933 2,105,775 Nilson Jan. 18, 1938 2,114,219 Florman Apr. 12, 1938 2,171,888 O'Connor Sept. 5, 1939 

